The Locker Room
by L. C. Edwards
Summary: Fetus Emison AU where Alison gives into her feelings for Emily that day in the locker room. Angst and definitely smut. On long hiatus. Apologies. (Thanks for the support!)
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my first time writing anything substantial... This story is an AU where Alison gives into her real emotions when Emily kisses her in the locker room. I might continue this story further into the fetus Emison relationship but I'm not sure yet. Theoretically, this would be set in a world without -A, and so Alison never disappears. There is definitely a bit of angst, but things are sure to turn out okay in the end. Enjoy.**

 ***Smut warning***

Emily was usually the last person in the locker room after school. Habitually, she took her time, and showered thoroughly, even though all of her practices were spent in the pool. It helped her sort her thoughts... which were mostly about Alison. To Emily, Alison was an enigma, and after their kiss in the library, she thought she'd finally understood all the feelings and turbulence clouding her brain and chest, whenever Alison was around.

Today was different. Alison had just joined the field hockey team, and Emily had promised to drive her home after practice. Emily finished her shower early, and got dressed in privacy, knowing full well what Alison did to her body. Emily was nervous enough around her; she didn't want Alison to find out that she was aroused too...

Emily, fully dressed, stepped out from behind the shower curtain, and made the small walk to her locker. Alison's locker was right next to Emily's, and it seemed as though Ali had no modesty, as she was standing next to it, wearing nothing but a light blue towel. Of course, that made Emily's heart race, and her underwear was no longer just wettened by the moisture left from her shower.

"Oh hey Em!," Ali said, as she lightly toweled her damp hair.

And that was it. Straight to small talk.

The truth was, Alison was nervous around Emily too. She never thought she'd admit it, but Em had an effect on her that was really quite startling. Emily made Alison's heart jump, and stomach pull, in a way that she thought was supposed to be reserved for boys... She'd had a moment of weakness the day that she'd flirted with Emily in the library. It was all so confusing, because the truth was, Alison had wanted a much deeper kiss than the one they'd shared. She'd actually wanted to suck Emily's face right off!... It wasn't any easy feeling, though. She had never felt so ashamed of being intimate before. She always kept people so distant from her real feelings; that way, she never really got hurt. But it wasn't like that with Emily. It was so new, and so close, and, really, Alison was more afraid of rejection than she could ever let on.

Alison was having another moment of weakness. She saw the way that Emily was studying her toweled body, like it was a work of art. She knew Emily wasn't listening to what she was saying at all, but that was almost better, because her words were only hiding Emily from her own, obvious, attraction. Ali's skin felt like it was on fire, and Emily's hands were itching to take Ali's towel right off, and onto the floor. As if they could read each-other's minds, Ali dropped her towel and turned to face Emily, her whole chest exposed.

"God!, Alison thought, kicking herself, "Why did I do that?!"

Alison scrambled quickly, and with a signature smirk, made up an excuse about new underwear. Emily was in such a trance, that although she felt the emergent need for sexual release, she just stood there, staring at Alison's figure, and nodding her head like an idiot. Ali prayed that Emily didn't see her hands tremble, as she exposed her back and butt, which was covered in lacy, white, French underwear. Ali grabbed her bra off her locker, and turned swiftly, not even thinking about the impact the turn would have on her breasts.

"Dammit!," Alison thought to herself, amidst a secret curiosity. She really liked the look on Emily's face; it was timid, and hungry at the same time. Alison was hungry too. Without intention, Ali's thighs got warm and wet. She needed Emily's touch.

She mustered her strength, and unwaveringly said, "Do me a favor Em, hook it for me?" Although, she wasn't really asking. She almost lost her balance when Emily's warm hands touched the small of her back. As Emily hooked Alison's bra, they both felt like their worlds were moving in slow motion. Alison was glad that Emily couldn't see her close her eyes and bite her lip, when Em's hands finally rested on her shoulders.

Emily was in pure ecstasy. She was sure Alison would feel her unsteady breathing on the crook of her neck, and know, immediately, of her incomprehensible admiration. Almost unknowingly, Emily placed a small, warm kiss on Ali's neck. The impact of Emily's lips sent shivers down Ali's spine and she panicked.

It was pure panic.

She felt as though she was too close to falling for Emily, and so she feverishly clambered to safer land. Harsh words protruded from Alison's mouth with such force, that it curled around Emily's entire being, and crushed her, like a hungry jungle snake that's ready to eat. Both girls reeled at Ali's icy tone, and Emily's face flushed red with horror and humiliation. Em quickly packed up her things, and without a word, she started to make her way out of the locker room.

Alison hurriedly spit out, "Where are you going? You're my ride remember?," in the most patronizing tone she could give.

Tears choked Emily's throat and threatened to leave her completely exposed, making her even more vulnerable to Ali. Somehow, after what may have been an eternity, Emily said,"Fine. Then I'm going to the bathroom."

Alison's previously slow and exotic world, was now moving rapidly and apprehensively. She had to find a way to recover from all the damage she'd just done. As Emily turned around towards the bathroom, Ali's brain racked for ways to make it out of the hole she'd dug for the both of them. The heartbreak pulsed through Alison, like Emily's hollow words still bounced around the, now otherwise empty, girls locker room. They must have been in there a while, because the whole place had cleared out.

As the sounds of Emily's footsteps grew fainter, Alison's regret grew deeper, and stronger, until she claimed it, and sprinted towards the bathroom. She wasn't going to do this anymore. She wasn't going to pretend she wasn't already madly in love with Emily Fields, and she wasn't going to keep hurting the person she loved most, simply because she hated herself. She was so, absolutely, and incredibly, done.

Alison jumped in front of the shuffling Emily, and threw the both of them into the largest bathroom stall. The door swung shut, as Alison let go entirely, pulling Emily into a deep, hungry, and passionate kiss. Emily's eyes opened in confusion, as the heat returned to her center, and she scrambled to understand what Alison was doing. Ali backed the both of them into the concrete wall, at the back of the large stall, and kissed Emily again, only this time, Ali traced Emily's mouth with her tongue, and sucked on Em's bottom lip until their mouths separated with a loud "smack". Emily's rage suddenly subsided, and she pressed the weight of her body towards the back wall, and further into Alison. Alison tilted her head up with a quiet moan, as she felt Emily press against her bare skin. The heat was now radiating off of Alison's body, and she was grateful, in more ways than one, that she'd never had the chance to get dressed, and she remained in only her matching undergarments. Their mouths met over, and over, until Emily unzipped her hoodie and Alison pulled off Emily's tank top. Emily slowly lifted Alison upwards, and onto her leg, as she leaned it against the wall for support. Emily could feel the dampness protruding from Ali's underwear, and she hungrily sucked on Ali's neck, in the same sensitive spot, that she'd lightly kissed earlier. There was no timidness in Emily anymore. She easily unhooked Alison's bra, wisped it off of her arms, and tossed it onto the floor with the rest of the clothes. She started back at Alison's neck, and was quietly thankful, that the locker room would remain empty at such a late hour. Alison's loud moans resonated through the locker room, and out into the hallway, but neither girl paid any attention. Instead, Alison lightly raked her fingernails into Emily's back, while Emily started in on Ali's breasts. Emily lightly thrusted Alison, moving Ali's wet center down her leg, as she tongued Ali's hard left nipple. She moved one hand onto Alison's thigh to get a better grip, as she continued to shift their weight together, making Alison's body quiver with pleasure. Emily leaned in close, and whispered into Alison's ear, her warm breath making the hairs on Ali's arms stand.

"Can I touch you?"

"Oh my god, Em. Please!," Alison sputtered out, clearly overwhelmed by the friction collecting between Em's leg, and her clit, as the rough, lacy fabric of her underwear tore into her.

Emily dropped Alison off the wall, and Alison immediately stripped herself of her last piece of underwear. Quickly, Alison unhooked Emily's bra and slipped it off of her, while Emily shifted Ali's weight, placing her back on her knee, and onto the wall. Both girls connected, erotically, as Emily's breasts and bare leg made contact with Alison's nakedness.

Alison whined, and Emily grasped Ali's left thigh tightly, teasing the sensitive skin around Ali's clit, making the poor girl cry out in need. Emily knew Alison needed more, so she kissed Alison once again, deeply, and looked her in the eye, as she swiped her thumb over Alison's clit, laying the rest of her fingers between Alison's wet folds.

"Oh god! Fuck!," Alison yelled, as she held on tighter to Emily, trying not to lose her balance.

Emily rubbed Alison's nerves harder, and in circles, until Alison screamed desperately, "Fuck, Em, please just take me!"

Emily smiled and kissed Alison, once again, while moving her fingers close to Alison's entry. Alison moaned into Emily's mouth, as Emily inserted a long finger into Alison, slowly and carefully, so that she wouldn't hurt her. Alison closed her eyes, and almost silently, gasped, digging her nails deeper into the small of Emily's back. Emily rhythmically moved faster, and deeper, into Alison, until she found Ali's spot. A moan escaped Alison, and she whispered "Please Em, more."

Emily nodded adding a second finger, making sure to hit Alison's spot again, and again. Emily continued by rubbing her thumb over Alison's nerves.

"Oh Fuck, Em I'm so close!," Alison said breathlessly, her walls starting to tighten around Emily's two fingers.

Emily took that as a cue to add a third. Alison caved, and Emily kissed he,r until Alison started to shake.

"Oh god, I'm coming! Oh fuck! Emily! Oh god, Em!"

Emily relaxed her thrusting, as Alison fell apart on her.

Emily lightly began to kiss Alison's chest, painting clouds with her tongue, following all the way to Alison's neck, while Ali rode out the waves of her violent orgasm, all the while, whispering Emily's name with exhaustion. The sound of her loud finish echoed around the empty locker room, like screams echoing through a canyon.

Finally, Alison's breathing relaxed, and she looked desperately into Emily's soft brown eyes. Alison leaned in to kiss Emily, as Em pulled out of her, her fingers covered in Alison's juices. Both girls were breathless, and sweaty, as Emily slowly lowered Ali off the wall. Alison almost fell down when her feet hit the floor. Her tired and weakened legs, struggled to hold her weight. Emily saw Alison's difficulty, so she wrapped her arms around Alison tightly, still desperate to remain connected.

After a long hug, Emily broke the silence and whispered, "Alison DiLaurentis, you have quite the sailor's mouth."

Her grin slowly wiped off her face as they separated, and she saw the tears that had collected in Alison's bright blue eyes. Emily cupped Alison's cheek and waited, with concern, for Alison's explanation.

"Emily," Alison croaked, "Please don't tell anyone."

Tears spilled from saddened crystal pools, and Emily tried anxiously to calm the blonde's vehemence. Holding her again, Emily ran her fingers through Alison's silky wet hair.

"I won't. I promise," Emily whispered, carefully.

Alison separated from Emily, meeting her eyes. "I'm sorry Emily, I'm just scared."

Her voice trailed off, as a last tear rolled across her rosy cheek.

"Don't be," Emily said, with a kind and understanding tone. "

We'll figure this out together, ok? You won't be alone, I promise."

Alison grasped at Emily's thick, dark hair, and placed a soft kiss on the swimmer's forehead.

"We should get going. It's late and my dad will get worried..."

"You're right, " Emily said, "Let's get dressed and I'll take you home."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Silence Speaks**

 _So this chapter is more of a "set building exercise". I'm trying to fill in events and little pieces of character, in both Emily and Alison, so please bear with me. As soon as this chapter is uploaded, I will be starting the third one, which will be much more climactic. As the story continues, (and it will) school days, and more routine activities, will be generalized, leaving only important events, and the moments anticipating and proceeding, so descriptively detailed. Thank you for all of your patience and feedback. It is much appreciated. Enjoy._

The car ride home was quiet. Emily focused hard, on the road, and tried, pretty unsuccessfully, to keep from hyperventilating. Alison sat, legs crossed, in the passenger's side seat, and stared blankly out the windshield. Both of them were sifting through different phrases and explanations that could make the ride a little less tense, but neither one was sure what to say, or how to say it.

Alison kept shifting her weight, uncomfortably, because she was actually pretty sore from Emily's performance. Not that she was complaining. Emily tried to calm her libido, but she was, truthfully, still really turned on.

It seemed like the car ride was destined to take a millennium.

Finally, Alison grabbed Emily's hand and threaded their fingers together. Emily quickly gave Alison a warm smile, and her hand a light squeeze. That was enough to let both girls know the other was okay. Alison looked hard at the floor and tried to keep more tears from welling up. She didn't know why she was being so emotional. Emily had an effect on her that no one else did. She wasn't the 'queen bee' with Emily. She was just Ali. That meant that all her emotions came right to the surface, and she wore them on her face for everyone to see. It was terrifying to be so vulnerable, even around Emily. She wasn't keeping secrets, or blackmailing, or manipulating, and that meant she could get hurt. Alison wasn't sure that was a risk she was willing to take, until today.

Emily pulled her car into Alison's driveway, and turned off the headlights. The sun had gone down long ago, but Ali's eyes still glimmered blue in the darkness. It was mesmerizing. The two girls studied each-other in silence.

"Alison...," Emily started.

"It's okay, Em," Alison said with a heavy smile, "I'll be fine. Jason's probably still out partying, but my mom and dad are home. I'll call you if I need anything."

Emily nodded, and Alison gave Emily's hand a quick squeeze, before she opened the car door and exited gracefully. It was always so crazy, how well Alison knew Emily. She knew Em would worry, and she knew just what to say to put her at ease. Emily turned on her headlights, and watched as Alison unlocked her front door and entered.

Emily slowly pulled out of the driveway and turned towards her house.

It was eight o'clock by the time Emily got home. Practice ended at six, and she usually got home by seven, catching her mother so that they could sit down to eat. Pam was very particular about mealtimes, and was already pushing her boundaries when it came to their late dinners, so Emily knew she had a lot coming to her when she opened the door.

"Where have you been?," Pam asked immediately.

Mrs. Fields stood with her arms crossed, and a furrowed brow, in the dimly lit foyer. "I was so worried about you!"

"I'm sorry Mom, I would have called, but I got caught up at school, and lost track of time."

"Well I'm glad you're safe," Mrs. Fields huffed. "There's some left overs in the fridge. I'll be upstairs if you need me."

Emily knew her mom was still pretty angry, but it was usually better to wait 'till she cooled off and got over it. Although very uptight, Pam never stayed mad for long.

Alison went straight upstairs when she got home. The lights stayed out, and dinner unmade, but she often liked the privacy her parents gave her. Their lack of involvement meant she basically got away with everything. Alison stripped down and stood in front of the mirror. Emily hadn't done much visible damage except for a light pink spot on the crook of her neck. Alison was secretly glad that Emily had claimed a part of her, even if it was subtle. Her phone beeped. Emily.

\- "Hey Ali, are you still doing okay?" -

Alison lightly chuckled at the concern Emily gave, even the slightest thing. It's part of why Alison loved her so much. She never felt unsafe.

\- "Yes, Em, I'm fine. Is your mom ok?," Alison replied. -

\- "She's a little upset but she'll get over it :)" -

Alison didn't reply. Instead, she put some pajamas on, and turned out the lights to her bedroom. She drew back the curtain, and looked through her window into Spencer's room. The light was on, but Spencer must have been reading downstairs on the couch tonight, because her figure wasn't visible through the mirror adjacent to her bed. It comforted Ali, knowing that her friends were never too far away. She left the curtains open and crawled under her comforter, realizing she probably smelled awful, but she knew she'd fall asleep, if she tried to take a shower.

Emily waited patiently for Alison's reply. Eventually, she figured Alison must have fallen asleep, so she went upstairs and took a shower. That left her with a lot of time to think. Emily was a little afraid that she pushed Alison too far, too quickly. It was never her intention to move that fast, and at the time, she wasn't even sure her feelings for Ali were reciprocated. Emily scrubbed her scalp thoroughly, and watched as the shampoo suds slid down her athletic figure. The warm water wasn't enough to distract her from the confusion she was feeling. What if Alison never spoke to her again? "That's a little extreme. Calm down Fields," Emily thought to herself. "Everything is going to be fine."

She wondered about the kind of change the development would have on their friendship. Were sleepovers now off limits? What about the other girls? Should they tell them? Ugh. Emily's heart thumped through her chest so violently, she could hear it in her ears. She pressed her head to the shower wall, and couldn't help but be reminded of Alison and the moans she made when Emily used the bathroom wall for support. That was it. Emily rinsed off and tried to get dry, and dressed, as fast as possible. She just needed to sleep on it; she'd figure things out in the morning.

By 3:00 am, Emily was still tossing and turning, shifting positions, although, she knew her old mattress wasn't really what was keeping her awake. She couldn't stop thinking about Alison. More than once, she reached for her phone, thinking that maybe Alison was awake too. Then, maybe, they could talk things out a bit, and Ali's soft voice could ease the tension in her chest. Em knew that her own anxiety wasn't worth risking the possibility of waking Ali up, if she really was asleep. And she was.

Alison had passed out, the second she hit the bed. Her mom checked on her, some time around ten, and although Ali was a light sleeper, she remained in quiet slumber. Her deep and slow breathing, pushed her comforter up and down rhythmically, and was the only sign of life in her otherwise still, angelic form.

At four, there was a loud crash in the DiLaurentis kitchen. Alison woke up with a start and looked around the room, panicked, although the darkness and sleep clouded almost all her vision. She was rarely in any real danger, when it came down to it, but Jason often brought home some sketchy figures on weekends, and she had woken up next to a stranger on more than one occasion. She rubbed her eyes violently, and crawled slowly out of bed. Heart racing, she peaked her head out her doorway and tried to get a glimpse of the staircase down the hall. "Screw it," she thought to herself. Alison went back into her room, and shut and locked her door. It was too early to deal with Jason, and she'd been through enough of his shenanigans to feel like she should have developed a tough skin. She didn't have one though, and every time there was so much as a creek in her house, she jumped ten feet in the air. Alison stepped quietly to her window, placing each foot carefully on her carpet, avoiding every spot she knew would make the floor squeak. She didn't want anyone to know she was awake; not if Jason or any of his friends had just walked in drunk. She peered through Spencer's open window, and watched as the sheer curtains swayed gently in the evening breeze. Spencer laid sleeping face up with her legs and torso all tangled in her blanket.

There was an unspoken rule between the two of them. Whenever the girls were home, and decent, the curtains were never drawn, so the both of them could always see the other. Spencer was usually pretty sleepless, and Alison had frequent nightmares, making the window policy mutually beneficial. Although Alison was always grateful for Spencer's insight and intelligence, Spencer and Alison fought more than anyone else in their group. It never deterred them for long, but Alison wondered how different things might be if it was Emily who lived across the street, instead. Sweet Emily could melt Alison's stress away with a smile.

Alison quietly climbed into bed. She thought about yesterday, when she told Emily she'd call if she needed anything, and she wondered, if at this early hour, the offer still stood. She reached around her nightstand for her charging cord, caught it, and brought her phone up to her face. The screen light was blinding. After her eyes readjusted, she dialed Emily's number, leaving her thumb hovering, unsure, over the green call button.

*...BUZZ...BUZZ...BUZZ...*

"FUCK!"

Emily quietly mouthed off at her vibrating phone. She had only fallen asleep thirty minutes ago, and her head was pounding.

"What time is it?... God damn..."

"Hello?"

"Em... I'm sorry I'm calling so early, it's just that-"

"It's fine Ali," Emily interrupted, still groggy. "What's up?"

"Someone made a loud 'crash' noise downstairs. My parents aren't light sleepers like me, and neither one of them ever wakes up before six-thirty, so that means someone just walked in and knocked something over. It's probably just Jason, but you know how weird he gets when he's drunk and I just...," Alison sped nervously through her explanation, and Emily tried desperately to understand everything she was saying, but her brain was still sputtering, like a car out of gas.

"Are you downstairs now?," Emily asked with a slight panic in her voice. Em knew there was no way she'd be able to drive to Ali's house safely, so that meant if Ali was in real danger, she'd have to run all the way there, and she was pretty exhausted as it was.

"No, thank god. I'm locked in my bedroom."

Emily let out a huge sigh of relief, one she knew was probably audible through Alison's receiver. "Okay, Ali. Please stay up there. Do you need me to come see what's going on?"

"No, no I was just... well, it helps hearing your voice, and I was wondering if maybe you'd stay on the line while I fall back asleep. You've got unlimited calling right?"

"Yeah, I do. Listen Ali, I would love to stay on with you, I'm just," she let out an exhausted huff, "I'm just really tired and I don't think I'll be able to stay awake that long."

"That's still perfect, Em. Thank you."

The line went silent on both ends for a second. Then Alison heard Emily breathe. Alison figured Em must have put the phone on her pillow, which was incredibly thoughtful. Alison laid hers down too, horizontally, with the speaking end nearest to her mouth.

Alison listened intently as Emily's breathing went from inconsistent and shallow, to slow, calmed, and steady. She focused hard on matching her breaths to Emily's and slowly drifted off.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Fallout**

 _This chapter is my longest, so far, and contains both angst and smut. Let me apologize again for the late release; this last week was definitely my busiest, but things are clearing up, now that it's summer time. Thank you for your patience and feedback; it means a whole lot to me. I'm also sorry if this chapter doesn't really match the tone of the other chapters, I'll continue to work on getting everything to flow, at least a little, neater. Also, in the future, I will probably make the chapters shorter in length (split them in to smaller sections), so that I can release some content earlier. Thanks so much. Enjoy._

It was 11:20 a.m. when Alison woke up. She felt well rested, and pretty surprised that she'd slept so late into the day. Alison was an early bird, unlike Emily, who could still be heard lightly breathing on the other end of the telephone. She laid still in bed for a few minutes and listened to the rhythmical "in and out" of Emily's lungs. She tried to keep her breathing silent, as she closed her eyes and imagined what Emily must look like so wrapped up, yet still so vulnerable. They'd spent the night together before, but things were different now, and she worried she might not see Emily wake up next to her, again.

Alison slowly got out from under her covers, and pulled her window's curtain shut. She undressed, and turned on the water to her shower, waiting for it to heat up. She had no idea what to do about the phone. After thinking about it, she decided to bring it with her and lay it on the sink, just in case Emily woke up.

At about 11:30 a.m. Pam walked into Emily's room. Her curtains had been drawn shut, and barely any sunlight was visible. Pam shook her head, and let the sun in. Somehow, the motion went unnoticed by Emily, and she lied still, unmoved. Pam wondered if Emily was coming down with something. Although Em was a late sleeper, the curtains almost always did the trick. Pam slowly sat down at the foot of the bed, and went to stroke Emily's hair, only to see her cellphone peaking out from under her pillow.

"What the heck?," Pam whispered to herself.

She carefully pulled the cellphone out, and saw there was an ongoing call. Lifting her ear to the receiving end, Pam was greeted by the sound of rushing water. Startled, Pam hung up the phone and placed it on Emily's dresser, making a mental note to ask her about it later.

The rest of the afternoon, both girls were radio silent. Neither one of them had any idea how to approach the elephant in the room, and both thought the other hung up the phone. That was enough closure for the time being.

Emily spent most of her day doing homework. Rosewood High wasn't usually too bad when it came to paperwork, but she had a test to study for in biology and an essay to finish for English. That was enough of a priority, to keep her hands busy, and her mind relatively occupied. Eventually, Mrs. Fields did question Emily about the phone, but Em just answered with some vague excuse about trying meditation. Pam was a real sucker for home remedies.

Alison didn't ask any questions about the crash she'd heard in the middle of the night. She saw that the antique vase was missing from the living room table, and figured she best leave the situation be, since the vase was an heirloom from her dead great-grandmother. "Yikes," she thought to herself as she lightly chuckled, thinking about the speech her mother must have given Jason earlier. He was likely going to be doing the dishes for at least the next week, so it wasn't really a loss in Ali's book.

"Alison!," Jessica's shrill voice sounded, from somewhere beyond.

"Oh god, speak of the devil."

"Alison." Mrs. DiLaurentis had made her way through the kitchen. "Your father and I have some very important business to take care of in New York this weekend, remember? We leave in an hour."

"What are you talking about, Mom?," Alison snapped, "Nobody told me you guys were going anywhere."

"Alison, hunny, you'll be fine. We're only staying through Sunday. We'll be home Monday morning, to take you to school."

Alison folded her arms around her chest and glared at her mother. "What about Jason?," She asked rudely.

"He'll be spending the night elsewhere. You're welcome to have some friends over, just don't stay up too late."

Mrs. DiLaurentis gave her signature squint, and kiss on the forehead, before she floated back into the kitchen.

It was about 6:30 p.m. when Alison texted Emily.

\- "Hey Em. Come over." -

"That's forward," Emily thought to herself.

\- "I'll ask." She texted back. -

With approval from Pam, Emily soon found herself hovering near Alison's front door. She was sweating nervously, and kept inching her shaking hand closer, and closer, to Alison's doorbell. With one swift movement, she pressed it, and in seconds, the door was opened.

"Hanna!..." Emily was surprised to see her other blonde friend beckoning her inside.

"Em! Thank god, you're here! Spencer owes me five bucks!," Hanna said, gleefully, as she guided Em towards Alison's living room.

Aria and Spencer were sitting on the couch in front of Alison's flat screen t.v., with their legs comfortably intertwined. The screen was playing "Casablanca" lightly in the background.

"Dammit!," Spencer rose slightly off the couch, sighing deeply, and pulled a bill out of her wallet.

Aria glared menacingly at both Hanna and Spencer, and said, "The two of you are going to gamble each other broke."

Hanna and Spencer just laughed in reply.

"Em, where's your stuff?," Spencer asked causally.

"What are you talking about?," Emily asked, a little more agitated than she had intended.

Alison didn't tell her that everyone was going to be here, and she was already sort of humiliated. It was especially aggravating to Emily, that of all the people present, Alison had yet to even make an appearance.

"Your stuff! Are you not spending the night?," Spencer asked, ignoring Emily's tone.

"Alison didn't-"

"That's okay. Emily can just borrow some of my stuff," Alison had finally made her entrance.

She emerged from the kitchen, carrying an open bag of chips, and a bowl of popcorn. Everyone quieted, and watched as Alison gracefully placed the snacks on the table between couches. Emily's jaw was practically hanging open.

Hanna reached out to grab some popcorn, but Alison gave her a scornful look.

"Careful Han," she said patronizingly.

Hanna just slunk back onto the couch, and wrapped herself in a blanket.

Emily hated this side of Alison. This Alison was the queen of Rosewood, and she didn't care how many people she crushed, underfoot, on the way to her throne.

Alison didn't make eye contact with Emily. It was almost like Em didn't even exist.

"So," Aria said, her mouth almost entirely full of popcorn, "Where are your parents Ali?"

"My mom kinda just floated in, last minute, and told me they had business in New York. They work for something called the.. Cari-... Carah-... Care- something group. Whatever," Alison said shaking her head.

"Your mom does more floating than Mariah Carey, at the Macy's Thanksgivings Day Parade!," Hanna cracked, leaving Spencer and Aria teary-eyed.

"Good one, Han," Aria choked out.

Alison just rolled her eyes, and tried to keep from smiling. Emily showed no movement, and stood placidly with her arms still folded along her chest.

"Alison, can I talk to you?," Emily asked firmly.

"Sure, Em, what's up?," Alison asked playfully, as if she had no idea why Emily was acting so different.

"In private."

This gained concerned glances from around the room.

"Sure," Alison said, her voice wavering slightly.

The rest of the girls definitely knew something was up. Emily was never this hostile, and Alison was never this nervous. They figured they'd be better off not saying anything, because they knew how Alison could be. They just never expected her to go after Emily.

Hanna, Aria, and Spencer continued to sit in silence, while Emily and Alison made their way to the kitchen.

"Alison, what the hell is going on?," Emily asked, clearly frustrated.

"We're having a sleepover, Emily. Isn't that obvious?," Alison said, still coyly playing dumb.

"You know, full well, that's not what I'm talking about Alison."

"Then what, exactly, are you talking about, Em?," Alison snapped, bitingly.

"I'm talking about us. About what happened between us. I'm talking about how I came here thinking we would talk about it, but how you've spent the entire night pretending like I don't exist," Emily said, weakening with emotion.

"I can't do this Emily. Not now. I won't."

"Then what am I even doing here?! I should just go." Emily started to turn around, only to be grabbed by the hand.

Alison's bright blue eyes hinted pain. For a moment, Emily could see right through to her. Ali was having a really hard time.

"Please," Alison said quietly, voice shaking, "Just stay."

Emily pulled her hand from Alison's grasp and walked into the living room, exasperated. She sat down next to Hanna, and unwrapped Han from the blanket.

"Hey-" Hanna started, but Emily just smiled and wrapped the two of them together.

"I love this movie," Emily said, ignoring Alison, who sat opposite Aria and Spencer.

"Me too!," Aria said, super enthusiastically.

The rest of the night went pretty normally. Despite the obvious tension between Emily and Alison, the girls managed to have a good time.

Some time around 1:00 am, girls started dropping.

First it was Aria, who fell asleep across Spencer's legs, then it was Spencer, who became drowsy under the warmth of Aria's small figure. Hanna had somehow ended up on the floor, between the table and the couch, and Emily fell asleep above her, with her head almost touching Spencer's. Alison watched silently, as her friends drifted, one by one. Aria, Spencer, and Hanna all wore pajamas but Emily was still in her jeans and preppy blue blouse. Alison watched Emily shift and curl uncomfortably, and felt partially responsible. Had the two of them not fought earlier, she would have offered to let Em borrow something.

Alison watched Emily sleep for an hour. She felt guilty, knowing that she was supposed to love all her friends equally, and that potentially meant watching them sleep too, but deep in her heart, she knew that it wasn't about friendship. Alison truthfully never wanted to spend another night without Em.

"That's pretty extreme," she thought to herself. But as extreme as it was, it was her reality. She let a few silent tears streak her moonlit cheek. She wished, desperately, that Emily would just hold her.

Alison swallowed hard, and scooted closer towards Emily's sleeping figure. Emily felt the weight of Alison's body on the cushion beside her, and she shifted, again, still sleeping uncomfortably. More tears escaped Alison, and one managed to roll down her jaw, and onto Emily's bare foot. Alison cringed, and recoiled quickly, backwards, towards the edge of the couch. All the movement made Emily stir.

Her eyes fluttered open, confused. She first looked at Spencer, who was still sleeping under the crumpled ball that was Aria, and then she sat up, and faced Alison. Her vision was cloudy and she didn't make out the tear stains on Alison's face.

"Shh" Emily saw Alison put a silently quieting finger to her mouth, and with her open hand, take Emily's.

Alison led Emily up the stairs, and down the hall, towards her bedroom. Still sleepy, Emily had suddenly forgotten all the tension between two of them, and she was glad that they were touching again.

Alison opened her door, and Emily followed her in, lightly closing it after, out of habit. Alison turned on her pink fuzzy lamp, and it dimly lit the room with a light pink and orange tint.

"What's going on, Ali?" Emily asked, crossing her arms over her chest in confusion.

"I'm sorry Emily, I didn't mean to wake you up, but since you're awake now, I figured I 'ought to let you borrow some pajamas. You looked pretty uncomfortable on the couch earlier."

Emily was surprised at the change in Ali's demeanor, and gratefully nodded to let Ali know she appreciated it.

As Emily sat on the bed, Ali sorted through her closet, and pulled out a super long, and thoroughly worn t-shirt. It was a faded gray, and said in white boxed letters, "Rosewood Grille". It must have been a men's large, because it could have easily been a dress on Alison. She handed it to Emily.

"I'm sorry Em. I forgot to do my laundry last night, and this is all I've got left." The look on her face was one of pure embarrassment and awkwardness.

"Who's is this?," Emily asked cheekily, secretly wondering which boy could have fit a shirt like that.

"It's mine," Alison gave with a slight, sad smile. "I'll step out and let you get changed."

Emily's mood shifted suddenly. "No, it's fine. Stay."

Alison sat on the bed as Emily turned to face the closet, and slowly took off her clothing. Alison knew she really shouldn't have been watching, but it was striking to see Emily so unhinged.

Emily first took off her shirt, and crumpled into a ball, bent over at the waist, and placed it lightly on the floor in front of her.

Alison watched, intently, becoming more and more aroused at the thought of taking Emily's bra off.

Emily then took off her bra, leaving her muscular back exposed. She unzipped her pants, topless, and slid each leg, slowly, out of her jeans, leaving herself in nothing but her cheeky black underwear.

Not realizing it, Alison had balled her hand into a fist, and was clenching her comforter in it tightly, as if it could protect her from the flood of heat that had now encompassed her entire body. Ali was sure, sooner or later, her wetness would seep through her short blue pajama shorts. She already knew, the sweat from under her arms, had likely left a stain on her bright pink, spaghetti-strap tank top. She was quietly begging her body to stop betraying her.

Emily finally slid the t-shirt over her, turning around to face the blonde, who didn't even bother to pretend like she wasn't looking. Emily stood, tall, with the shirt covering only a bit of her thigh, while her nipples stood erect, and clearly visible through the fabric.

Emily walked quietly back to Alison, looked her in the eye, and seductively pulled her hair out from her long ponytail, putting the tie around her wrist.

Emily then walked to the other side of Alison's bed, and without asking, slid under the sheets, and onto the pillow. She faced the opposite direction, and closed her eyes.

Alison had no idea what to do.

Ali knew she wanted, desperately, to take Em right then, but she worried that Emily was still mad at her, for what she'd said earlier that evening. Cautiously, Alison slid under the covers of her bed and turned out her lamp, leaving only the pale moonlight spilling gently through her curtained window.

Alison laid, face up, and tried to calm herself down. She stayed motionless for fifteen minutes, and still, nothing.

"Fuck," she thought to herself.

She scooted close to Emily and curled to fit her shape.

Secretly awake and waiting, Emily felt the heat from Alison's body, through the shirt on her back. Finally.

Alison slid a soft arm, carefully, around Emily's waist, purposefully displacing the t-shirt to feel Emily's skin.

Emily immediately got chills from the warmth of Alison's hands, and her arms quickly covered in goosebumps.

Alison slowly nuzzled into Emily's back, but after a while, thought better of it, and laid her head in the crook of Emily's neck. Alison's warm breath put Emily on edge, and her hands clenched nervously, as she felt herself get wetter.

Suddenly, the blonde was placing little kisses on Emily's neck, and the bare skin at the base of it. Emily closed her eyes, and held on to the bedspread tightly, trying hard not to squirm out of pleasure. Alison took the arm holding Emily, and, with more purpose, placed her hand onto Emily's abdomen, caressing the skin and giving it little pinches. A whimper quietly escaped Emily's lips. Alison moved to open mouth kisses on Emily's neck, and Emily grabbed Ali's hand for support. Emily felt like she was on fire. Then Alison lightly bit Emily's earlobe, and Em couldn't handle it anymore.

"Oh..." Emily groaned loudly.

"You should turn over," Alison whispered into Emily's ear, prompting Emily, who shifted in response. Emily had planned to turn all the way around to kiss Alison, but Alison stopped her halfway, and kept her face up. Alison crawled her way up Emily's shirt, and placed her thigh between Emily's, all in one swift movement that had Alison almost entirely on top of Emily.

Alison could feel Em's warm wetness on her thigh, as Ali shifted all of her weight onto her left arm, and inched her right hand even further up Emily's shirt until she found a nipple. She traced little circles around it, while keeping her lips millimeters from Emily's, teasing her harshly.

Emily couldn't wait. She grabbed Alison's waist, and pulled her in for a long, hard kiss. Their tongues slipped in and out of each other, as if they were made of silk. Alison separated them, and shifted all the way on top of Emily, straddling her waist. The covers had been practically thrown off, and they sat in a heap on Alison's side of the bed.

Alison grabbed at Emily's abs with both hands, using them to outline Em's figure. The movement lifted Em's shirt, as Ali's hands traveled further, and further up. Alison used her cleared space as a pallet to lick and suck patterns onto Emily stomach. Emily's hands released, and grabbed onto the pillow beneath her head. She was trying so desperately to remain quiet.

Emily's body arched, and caved every time Alison's tongue met her skin, and she moaned loudly, as Alison traced her right breast with her tongue.

Alison could see that the shirt was becoming an issue, so she carefully pulled it up, and over Emily's wrists, tossing it on the floor beside the bed.

"Em," Alison asked quietly, seriousness filling her blue pools.

Emily looked up expectantly.

"Are you okay with all this? I mean, are you okay, if I keep going?"

"Please, Alison. Please keep going." Emily's eyes looked hungry, and full of agony.

Alison could hear in Em's voice that she'd have to stop teasing.

"But Alison," Emily stopped, as a somewhat sinister grin swept over her face, "You're over-dressed."

Alison took both her top, and her sports bra off, in one swift motion. She dismounted Emily, by rolling back onto the bed, finished by stripping herself of her shorts and underwear, and dropped them onto the floor with Emily's shirt.

Alison bit her lip in anticipation.

"Now you're the one who's over dressed."

Alison moved towards the end of the bed, and lined her face up with the waist of Emily's underwear. She made eye contact, and then used her hands and teeth to guide the black fabric down, and off of Emily, entirely. Another piece of clothing fell to the floor.

Alison crawled back on top of Emily, and inched her way down, towards the foot of the bed. She held Emily's thighs in each hand, and she began to lick, longways, the inside of them.

Emily grabbed onto the pillow, once again, for support, and let a loud out a loud, "Alison!", begging for her touch.

Alison finally moved a hand from her thigh, and began to play with Emily's clit. She teased Emily's bundle of nerves, harshly, as Emily bit her lip and shut her eyes, keeping her moans as soft as possible. Alison then moved her tongue to Emily's center, tasting Emily while still teasing her clit.

"Alison! Alison, please!"

Alison finally entered Emily, with one careful finger. The motion almost threw Emily over the edge. Just knowing that it was Alison, touching her, could have made her cum, but she was trying really hard to make the moment last. Alison moved her mouth to Emily's clit.

"Ali! Oh god, I'm so close," Emily whined, clearly about to cave.

Alison added a second finger, and pumped harder, and faster, inside of Emily. Alison looked up from where she was still sucking on Emily's nerves, and she made eye contact once again. Alison's eyes shimmered in the moonlight, showing signs of excitement, of hunger, but also... love.

Emily couldn't handle it. She grabbed a tighter hold on her pillow, and came, hard. Alison used one hand to steady Emily, who was shaking violently, and could no longer keep quiet.

After Emily had rode out the rest of her orgasm, Alison pulled both fingers out, and crawled back up to where Emily laid, exhausted. Emily looked at Alison, and gave her the warmest smile, Ali had ever seen. Alison just winked, and sucked the juices Emily'd left, off her fingers.

Alison put her head on Emily's chest, beneath her breasts, and weaved a leg between Emily's, so that the two of them were intertwined.

Alison pulled the comforter over them, and they laid there in silence, just reveling in their shared contact, skin to skin.

"Alison-," Emily began, but Ali cut her off.

"Emily, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the sleepover; I'm sorry I wasn't there to open the door for you; I'm sorry I hid so long in the kitchen; I'm sorry I didn't pay attention to you; I'm sorry I blasted Hanna; I'm sorry that I didn't let you borrow my stuff; I'm sorry that I woke you up; I'm sorry that-"

Alison's voice was becoming so filled with emotion, that Emily couldn't make out everything she was saying.

"Alison," Emily said quietly, but the blonde couldn't hear her through her own ramblings.

"Alison!," Emily said louder, interrupting.

The blonde quieted.

"I love you, Ali. I always have. I know it's kind of late for me to say it. I've loved you since the moment we met. You don't have to say it back... I just... I'm sorry I never told you."

Alison felt overwhelmed. She knew that she loved Emily, and she wanted to say it back, but fear choked her throat, and silenced her.

She wasn't afraid of loving Emily.

She was afraid of what that meant.

Emily could feel Alison's warm tears begin to pool on her chest. Emily just kissed Ali's forehead, and ran her fingers lightly through her beautiful golden curls.

For a second, it was as if nothing in the universe had ever been so aligned; like the all stars and the moons, the planets and the galaxies, had lain in wait for this exact moment; like this was creation.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: The Morning After**

 _I know this chapter is long overdue, and that it's way too short to compensate, but please forgive my tardiness, anyways. I'm looking forward to making this next chapter, detailing breakfast and such, so don't worry that I might skip over that interaction, because I won't. This chapter is mainly shorter, because I really wanted to get you guys something, even if it was smaller in comparison, because you guys have been really amazing, supportive, and patient, which is incredibly validating as a writer, and a fan. Thank you for all that you do. Enjoy._

Emily awoke to bright sunlight spilling through the window in Alison's room, the sounds of light chatter from below, and the harsh thuds of footsteps climbing up the staircase.

"Shit!," Emily shot up, stirring Alison, who was still lying naked on top of her, and reached for their clothes, which were in a heap next to the bed.

Too late. Hanna crashed through the bedroom door, with a loud, "There you guys are!"

Luckily, Emily had managed to cover the entirety of her, and Alison's, clearly nude figures, with Ali's comforter. Hanna, seemingly, was none the wiser.

Alison opened her eyes carefully, and tried to adjust to the bright lights and loud sounds that were suddenly surrounding her.

Meanwhile, Hanna had started on some sort of rant about Spencer's inability to make tame coffee, and she'd made herself comfortable, by sitting on the edge of the bed, which she had not noticed still smelled strongly of sweat, chlorine, and Alison's hair product.

"What are you guys doing up here anyways?," Hanna finally asked, inquisitively.

Emily sat silently in shock, trying to compose some sort of explanation, but just as Ali's lips moved to cover, a loud yell erupted from the bottom floor.

"Hanna! Where are you?!," Spencer's voice echoed from the kitchen. "Aria's pancakes are burning, and I can't find her! Will you please come help?"

"You know I'll only make things worse!," Hanna yelled back, not moving from her position on Ali's side of the bed.

"Okay, well can you at least come look for her?"

"Ugh," Hanna looked at the two girls, lightly frustrated. "What would they do without me?"

She gave them a mischievous grin, before lifting herself off the bed, and making her way downstairs.

"We'll meet you down there!," Alison shouted after her.

"Okay, lazy bones!," Hanna answered sarcastically, her voice drifting farther down the staircase.

Emily bent down, and picked up Alison's gray t-shirt off the floor. She put it on, and slid out of bed, shutting and locking the door.

"God, that was close," Emily said, sliding into bed beside Alison.

"Way too close," she reiterated.

"Are we going to talk about this?," Emily said, voice laced with concern.

"We don't really have the time. Hanna will come back up here, if we don't get downstairs quickly," Alison said.

Emily knew Alison was right, but that didn't make her feel any better. Somehow, despite every confession from the night before, Emily still felt used. Her head tilted downward and she fell silent, body language that Alison knew well. Em was upset.

Alison sat up, bare chested, and leveled herself with Emily, whose eyes wouldn't make contact.

"Hey," Alison said, lifting Emily's chin, so as to meet her sad brown eyes, "I don't regret anything."

Emily stared, conflicted, into Alison's striking blues, which subtly spoke of sympathy, understanding, and still, somehow, innocence. Alison then placed a heavy kiss onto Emily's lips, and slipped out of bed, making her way to the bathroom.

As Emily watched Ali's nude figure leave, she found herself touching her bottom lip, longingly, desperately desiring another kiss; one that wasn't so chaste. Alison had left the bathroom door open just a crack, seemingly inviting Emily in after her. Suddenly, the shower started, and moments later, a cloud of steam found its way into the bedroom, where Emily still sat, motionless, on the bed. She listened, intently, to the sound of running water, and the inconsistent splashes it made when Ali moved. If Emily listened really hard, she could hear a soft melody, Alison's light singing, beautiful, but drowned out by the constant thud of droplets on floor and skin. It was moments like this, that made Emily genuinely question how the existence of such an incredible, magical, beautiful person could be. All that aside, Emily worried that if she followed her heart, into the bathroom and into the shower, it would have serious consequences. For instance, both girls would be wet, therefore, questions would arise. Then, the other girls would quickly make connections, revealing the true nature of Alison and Emily's complicated situation.

Emily eventually brought herself up, and off of the bed, gently swiping her fingers across the sheets that had shrouded the pleasures of the night before. She was aware of the time constraint. She needed to get dressed quickly. Having wasted so much time already, Hanna could come running up the stairs at any, unprepared moment.

She made her way over to the closet door, to yesterday's pile of clothes. Closer to the bathroom now, she could make out some of the words of the song Alison was singing; it was "Always" by Patsy Cline. Emily knew it well, since Alison always played that old record, her mom gave her, whenever Emily came over to study. Usually, Alison favored the more bluesy songs, the ones about heart break and emptiness. Emily felt a little more reassured, listening, as she got dressed.

She modestly slid her underwear on first, although she did so carefully, because she was incredibly sore from all the attention Alison had given her, yesterday. Afterwards, she slid on her pants, and took off Ali's gray t-shirt, to put on her bra and blouse. In the mirror adjacent to the bedroom door, Emily caught a glimpse of her back. The base of her neck had three distinct bruises, and was all around pretty red.

"Crap!," Emily thought to herself. The other girls would notice this, if she didn't pay close attention to keeping her hair down. She hadn't paid much mind to the swollen state of her inner thighs, or even the little bruises covering her taut belly. The marks on her neck would be harder to conceal. Additionally, Emily smelled severely of sweat. She was pretty sure, that at least someone would notice it; she was just praying it wouldn't be Hanna or Spencer, because they would definitely say something. Emily wasn't looking forward to giving false explanations.

Dressed, and incredibly nervous, Em unlocked the bedroom door, opened it, and made her way downstairs.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Schism**

 _This chapter is definitely angsty. Please remember, that fetus Alison had a lot of internalized conflict. I wanted to stay true, at least in part, to the integrity of young Alison, and that character. Those really ugly parts of her, clashing with the good parts of her, is what I believe makes her such a dynamic character. In addition, I reference a flashback between Alison and her mother, revealed in 4x02, at the end of this chapter. Feel free to re-watch that scene for context, but please do so once you've finished reading chapter five, so as to not spoil any unrevealed elements of this chapter. I would especially appreciate your comments, concerns, and opinions, regarding the changes in tone that this chapter experiences. As always, thank you. Enjoy._

Emily treaded the path through the living room, and into the kitchen, carefully. She wanted to make her entrance as smooth as possible.

"Hey Em! There you are!," Hanna practically shouted, through a mouthful of pancake. "Where's Ali?"

Emily grimaced slightly, obviously disgusted by Hanna's half chewed mess.

"She's taking a shower," she said lightly, and cautiously. Her voice trailed at the end, sounding almost a little sad.

Aria smiled warmly, as she continued to move the finished pancakes from the griddle, to the plate on the counter, collecting them.

Spencer gave a small chuckle, "As you can see," she said, eyes lighting up, "Hanna simply couldn't wait to try Aria's cooking. Aria and I are going to wait until Ali comes down, so we can still have some food left, and eat together."

"That sounds like a good idea," Emily said, feeling a bit more comfortable.

She had worried that the girls might have heard her, somewhat loud, experience the night prior, but it looked like they thought nothing was out of the ordinary. That was good.

Emily carefully sat herself down next to Hanna at the glass table, and tried to suppress the obvious discomfort the action withdrew.

"What wonderful misery," she thought cynically to herself.

The conversation between the girls was light and menial, and soon Alison entered the kitchen, unnoticed by everyone but Aria, who was at the sink scrubbing off the pan she had just used. The other girls sat around the set table, Hanna and Spencer, with what must have been Hanna's coffee. They were all chatting comfortably.

"Good morning!," Aria said cheerfully to Alison. "How did you sleep?"

"Like a baby," Alison said with a smirk, as she shot a knowing glance to Emily, who, like everyone else, was now attentive to the conversation between the host and the chef.

The smirk didn't go unnoticed, and Aria lifted a curious eyebrow in response. Emily's eyes seemed panicked, and her cheeks flushed accordingly, however, she was still trying, desperately, to look inconspicuous.

Alison didn't give anyone's curiosities an answer. She simply went over to the coffee pot, and poured two cups, one of which she handed to Emily, as she sat down across from her.

Ali shrugged, "Late night."

"You're telling me!," Aria said, as she brought the tall stack of pancakes into the center of the table.

She, like Hanna and Spencer, was, undoubtedly, oblivious to the sexual tension that had peaked, the moment Ali had sat down.

"What are you talking about?!," Spencer laughed, "You were the first one out!"

"Hey, guys?," Hanna's voice burst through the laughter. "How did I end up on the floor?"

No answer, just laughs from around the room.

The rest of the morning went a lot like that: laughter, smiles, and an overall good mood. It was surprising, actually, how well Alison was behaving. Aria, specifically, noticed a change in her demeanor. For instance, at breakfast, there were no snide remarks about food consumption. Hanna did, eventually, make a comment about Emily's smell, but Alison didn't push the issue, and neither did Spencer. They all had a really good time.

After breakfast, the other girls got dressed and packed up their things. Finished, and standing quietly in the foyer, Aria, Spencer, and Hanna hugged Ali, and thanked her for a good time. One by one, they piled out of the door and prepared to make the walk to their respective houses.

"You coming Em?," Aria asked, while the door still stood open, Hanna and Spencer waiting on the wood porch in front of her.

"I'm actually getting a ride from my mom," Emily fabricated, "She's just running late."

"Why?," Aria asked confused. "It's just a short walk. You do it all the time."

"Yeah, I know. She's actually taking me to a doctor's appointment, after this. Nothing serious, just a check-up."

Another lie.

"Oh, okay," Aria said, satisfied. "See ya later then," and with a smile, she stepped outside, shutting the door behind her.

"When's your appointment?," Alison asked, concern lacing her voice.

She knew Mrs. Fields was almost never late to anything, and she wondered if Emily might end up missing her appointment. That could lead to a seriously pissed off Pam. Plus, Emily might have to give the doctor some, made up, explanation, for why she had hickeys all over her; that'd definitely lead to a seriously pissed off Pam.

"There is no appointment, Ali," Emily said coldly.

A confused and slightly startled look came across Ali's face.

"We need to talk, and since, so far, you've just given me excuses, this is the only way I could get your attention."

Alison crossed her arms over her chest, furrowed her brow, and took the familiar stance that meant she was about to spit fire. That stance usually ended with some loser, like Mona, sitting in a puddle of their own tears and self-loathing.

Emily didn't back down. Instead, she gritted her teeth, and tightened her jaw. With her planted feet, and accentuated cheekbones, her stance almost rivaled Alison's.

Never before, had Emily been so bold. Before the locker room, Emily had been just another school girl, with a huge, sugary, crush. She had changed, significantly, in a matter of days, seconds even. She had been a mopey, devastated, Alison reject, when she'd made her way towards that bathroom stall, but by the time that she'd left it, she was a certified killer. Alison had taken her innocence.

For a while, the two of them stood in silence. Within an instant, the spirited air had turned electric and hostile.

"Well?," Alison bit, "You said you wanted to talk; so say something." The tone of Alison's voice mirrored that of a gladiator; challenging a bitter rival, begging for a fight.

"I've already said everything there is to say, Alison! In fact, I'm the only one talking about us at all!" Her voice was pained and angry, and still, yet unwavering.

"Us?," Alison said, aggressively quizzical. "What us?"

"Is this this really what you want, Alison?," Emily's harsh tone softened.

"Don't do this. You don't have to do this," Emily's lip quivered slightly, and two silent, staining, tears, slipped, betrayingly, from her cloudy, somber eyes.

Alison shifted. Her arms dropped, and her brow unfurled, as she fought with herself.

Everything Alison touched fell ill.

She knew that.

Whether it be circumstantial or self inflicted, nobody stayed close for long. Emily had crept under her skin, like a parasite, sucking evil from every place that it lingered, leaving Alison defenseless, and vulnerable. She'd played the mean girl for so long already. So young, yet so bitter. After years of living in constant fear, she'd decided it was better to inflict it. That was the closest she could ever get to feeling safe.

Alison loved Emily, but Emily was good.

She was kind, and patient, and tender, and smart, and strong, and overwhelmingly beautiful. Too good, for someone so malicious. But Alison was selfish, and destructive, so every time that she felt lonely, or small, or weak, she crawled into the safest place she knew, Emily's arms, only to rip herself from them, when she felt undeserving again.

Alison wasn't afraid that Emily would hurt her; she was afraid that she would hurt Emily.

Alison liked to punish her mother, for saying no, by holding her breath, and watching, as her mom squirmed, eventually giving in to whatever it was that she'd wanted. As much as her mom hated her, she hated publicity even more, and word that Alison was in the hospital, would have spread around small town, Rosewood, like a wildfire. What Alison didn't anticipate, was the possibility that such an action could be habit forming; which is why, with all of the stress of Emily's ultimatum, Alison knees buckled, and she plummeted, full speed, towards the ground.


End file.
